New Zealand oil spill – in pictures

The 47,230-tonne Liberian-flagged Rena has been stranded on a reef 12 nautical miles off Tauranga on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island since running aground on 5 October. Oil leaking into the sea has increased by as much as 10-fold, with the government calling it New Zealand's worst ever maritime environmental disaster

A man looks at waves washing oil up on to Papamoa beach after the Rena ran aground on a reef off the coast of Tauranga. Up to 350 tonnes of heavy fuel oil have spilled from the hull, prompting New Zealand's environment minister, Nick Smith, to call it the country's biggest maritime environmental disaster

Waves wash oil on to the pristine beaches near Tauranga. Maritime New Zealand said 200 oiled birds had been found dead and 47 others were being cleaned at a wildlife emergency centre. Several miles of coastline had been closed to the public and some beaches were severely covered

A man stands near a container that has spilled a debris of burger patties on Mount Maunganui beach. The ship is on the brink of breaking up after a crack appeared all the way around its hull, authorities have said